Page 111 of Pick Me

“That’s a good thing, right?”

Tanner glared at me with a cocked brow, and I responded by doing the same thing. “Guessing you forgot what tonight is, then.”

I looked between Thea and Tanner, neither of them talking, so I raised my hands in exasperation. “Well, how am I supposed to know if I forgot something if no one is willing to tell me what I forgot?”

“Dinner with the dean,” Thea stated. Her lips were pressed into a frown, beyond unimpressed with me, so I threw her my usual smile, hoping that would get me back on her good side.

“Ah, I didn’t forget about it, I just filed it to the back of my mind since I had more important things to think about.” Wondering if Thea was wet right now was one of them.

“Do you have your suit?” Thea asked. I nodded. I had a suit in the back of the closet, so that wasn’t much of a test over if I was lying. “I don’t mean your birthday suit either.” She crinkled her nose in disgust again, making me smile. “No one wants to see that.”

No one but you.

My dick was getting hard, which was inappropriate in the context, so I walked around the kitchen island and took a glass from the cabinet and poured myself a cup of orange juice.

“Did Aster give you any indication about how she was feeling on the phone?”

Tanner shook his head. “No. Nothing. She was whispering because she was with her parents, who were completely confused over why I left early.”

“She didn’t tell them?” Thea asked.

“Apparently not.”

Thea’s smile grew wide. “Brother, why didn’t you start with that? This is the best news ever.”

“How so?” I asked, as it seemed like Tanner was reluctant to speak, and I might’ve been fucking his sister on the sly, but he was still my bro at heart. He didn’t want to talk, so I’d take some of the heat off him and ask questions myself.

“Well, if it were over, she would have one hundred percent told her parents it was because Tanner asked for her hand in marriage. It doesn’t make sense otherwise. You’re both crazy in love with each other, and you’re supposed to be moving to her hometown. It’s a storybook romance, and there’s no reason for you to break up.”

“Is that supposed to make me feel better about this? It’s not. In fact, you’re kind of making me feel worse.”

She shook her head. “Look, trust me, this is a very good thing. I promise you.”

“I’m not sure I’d trust her, T. I know she’s your sister and all, but how many dates, let alone relationships, has she been in since she got here?”

Thea’s mouth dropped, and I had to stop myself from laughing. The sheer annoyance on her face was something to be admired.

“Jackson,” Tanner mumbled. We were already back into our usual routine. Me annoying Thea, Thea being offended enough for everyone on earth, and Tanner on the side just hoping we’d shut up at some point.

She looked me up and down with her lip curled. “Oh, you really think you’re hot shit, don’t you? Better to be picky than to be a pick-me.”

“Pick-me? Are you callingmea pick-me?” She nodded, her brow arching in challenge. “I thought that was you?”

Okay, that might have burned a little too deep, but I was all for realism. Thea placed her hand on her chest. “Me… a pick-me. I don’t recall bringing any woman I could find home just to tick off my roommates.”

“No, you haven’t. If you brought a woman home, I wouldn’t be angry. I’d be delighted and ask if I could watch.”

“Jackson!” Tanner yelled, but I ignored it; I had more important people to fry. Mainly my girlfriend.

“Bet you would. I bet you’ve not evenseena pussy since you got here, and you were just watching porn with your buddy online. What’s his name? Liam? I’m not judging. From what I know, the guy is hot. Bet you love talking to him while watching girls get off over people that aren’t you.”

Wow. The venom. I’d get her back for that later.

I clicked my tongue, letting my gaze sweep over her. Damn, did she look tempting? That ridiculous purple onesie shouldn’t have been attractive, but somehow, she made it work—too well. Good enough to eat… again. Hell, I wanted her back in my bed so bad it hurt.

“Careful, Pyro. You almost sound a little jealous.”

Her nose crinkled again. “Do you really think I’m jealous of your hand?” Her eyes dropped to my hands wrapped around my cup of orange juice. “You’ve got so many blisters on those things I think it would feel nicer to caress myself with sandpaper.”

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